Report urges change to pharma reputation

PR chiefs at Pfizer and Roche are among those who helped to produce a rep­ort on the state of the industry's reputation by Virgo Health PR. The report is being sent out to 3,000 industry professionals this week.

‘If we don't have public advocates for our cause then, if any negative policy measures are proposed by the Government, we have no-one in our corner,' said rep­ort contributor and Pfizer director of external affairs Colette Goldrick.

The report calls on drugs firms to be more transparent and open for the greater good of the industry.

‘We all need to strive to protect and enhance our own company images as well as the overall perception of the pharmaceutical industry,' Roche Products comms dir­ector Susie Hackett said.

‘Every company has to take responsibility for that. We have to be less defensive. We have to go out and talk about how proud we are of what we do,' she added.

Report co-author and Virgo joint MD Angie Wiles said: ‘If we do not have this conversation, healthcare comms could turn into a reactive state of affairs.'